Proverbs 27
1 Do not boast thyself of to-morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.
Don’t boast about tomorrow; for you don’t know what a day may bring.
2 Let another praise thee, and not thine own mouth, a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
3 Heavy is a stone, and weighty is sand, —but, the vexation of a fool, is heavier than both.
A stone is heavy, and sand is a burden; but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.
4 The cruelty of rage, and the overflow of anger! But who can stand before, jealousy?
Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
5 Better is a rebuke that is open, than love carefully concealed.
Better is open rebuke than hidden love.
6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but lavished are the kisses of an enemy.
The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
7 The surfeited soul, trampleth upon droppings from the comb, but, to the hungry soul, every bitter thing, is sweet.
A full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to a hungry soul, every bitter thing is sweet.
8 As a bird wandering from her nest, so, is a man wandering from his place.
As a bird that wanders from her nest, so is a man who wanders from his home.
9 Oil and perfume, rejoice the heart, the sweetness of one’s friend, more than fragrant wood.
Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart; so does earnest counsel from a man’s friend.
10 Thine own friend and thy father’s friend, do not thou forsake; but, the house of thy brother, do not enter, in thy day of calamity, Better a neighbour near, than a brother far off.
Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbour who is near is better than a distant brother.
11 Be wise, my son, and rejoice my heart, that I may answer him that reproacheth me in a matter.
Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, then I can answer my tormentor.
12 A prudent man, seeth calamity—he hideth himself, the simple, pass on—they suffer.
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
13 Take a man’s garment when he hath become pledge for a stranger, then, for a female unknown, accept him as surety.
Take his garment when he puts up collateral for a stranger. Hold it for a wayward woman!
14 He that blesseth his friend, with a loud voice, in the morning early, a reproach, shall it be reckoned to him.
He who blesses his neighbour with a loud voice early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse by him.
15 A continuous dripping on a day of downpour, and a contentious wife, are alike:
A continual dropping on a rainy day and a contentious wife are alike:
16 He that hideth her, hideth the wind, and, perfume, his right hand may proclaim.
restraining her is like restraining the wind, or like grasping oil in his right hand.
17 Let, iron, by iron, become sharp, and let, a man, sharpen the face of his friend.
Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens his friend’s countenance.
18 He that guardeth the fig-tree, shall eat the fruit thereof, and, he that watcheth over his master, shall be honoured.
Whoever tends the fig tree shall eat its fruit. He who looks after his master shall be honoured.
19 As in water, face [answereth] to face, so, the heart of man to man.
Like water reflects a face, so a man’s heart reflects the man.
20 Hades and destruction, are not satisfied, and, the eyes of a man, are not satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; and a man’s eyes are never satisfied. (Sheol h7585)
21 Fining pot for silver, and crucible for gold, and, a man, [is to be tried] by what he praiseth.
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace for gold; but man is refined by his praise.
22 Though thou pound a fool in a mortar, amidst grain, with a pestle, his folly, will not depart from him.
Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with grain, yet his foolishness will not be removed from him.
23 Note well, the appearance of thy flock, apply thy mind to thy herds;
Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds,
24 For, not age-abiding, are riches, nor is the diadem, from generation to generation: —
for riches are not forever, nor does the crown endure to all generations.
25 The grass, is taken away, and the young shoot, showeth itself, and the herbage of the mountains, is gathered;
The hay is removed, and the new growth appears, the grasses of the hills are gathered in.
26 There are, lambs, for thy clothing, and, for the price of thy field, there are he-goats;
The lambs are for your clothing, and the goats are the price of a field.
27 With, enough goats-milk, for thy food—for the food of thy household, and, a maintenance, for thy maidens.
There will be plenty of goats’ milk for your food, for your family’s food, and for the nourishment of your servant girls.
